Wolverines to Head to Atlanta for ITA Kick-Off

» No. 22-ranked Michigan begins dual-match action this weekend, heading to Atlanta for the ITA Kick-Off with a berth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship on the line.
» Joining U-M in the event are No. 6 Duke, No. 12 Georgia Tech (host) and No. 14 South Carolina.
» The Wolverines are looking for their 11th berth in the last 12 seasons to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. The national championship event will have just eight teams this year, as opposed to 16 like in previous seasons.

THIS WEEK
Sat-Sun., Jan. 23-24 -- at ITA Kick-Off (Atlanta, Ga.)
Saturday, Jan. 23 -- vs. No. 6 Duke, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 24 -- vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech/No. 14 South Carolina, 10 a.m./2 p.m.
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The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team (0-0) begins the dual-match portion of its schedule this weekend (Jan. 23-24), traveling to Georgia Tech for the ITA Kick-Off. Joining U-M in Atlanta with a berth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship are No. 6 Duke (1-0), No. 12 Georgia Tech (1-0) and No. 14 South Carolina (2-0).

About the ITA Kickoff Weekend

The No. 1-seeded team (Georgia Tech) at each site will face the No. 4 team (South Carolina). The No. 2 team (Duke) will face the No. 3 team (Michigan). Two matches are guaranteed -- the winners/losers will play the following day. The seven schools that win both of their matches at these events will be invited to play in the Feb. 5-7 ITA National Team Indoor Championship at Oklahoma State.

Ranked Singles Players

No. 8 -- Kelly Chen (Duke)
No. 13 -- Kenya Jones (Georgia Tech)
No. 28 -- Georgia Drummy (Duke)
No. 29 -- Chloe Beck (Duke)
No. 30 -- Megan Davies (South Carolina)
No. 34 -- Mia Horvit (South Carolina)
No. 44 -- Margaryta Bilokin (Duke)
No. 56 -- Victoria Flores (Georgia Tech)
No. 71 -- Andrea Cerdan (U-M)
No. 93 -- Emma Shelton (South Carolina)
No. 95 -- Karolina Berankova (Duke)
No. 101 -- Alyvia Jones (U-M)
No. 111 -- Meible Chi (Duke)
No. 123 -- Gia Cohen (Georgia Tech)

Ranked Doubles Teams

No. 5 -- Victoria Flores/Kenya Jones (Georgia Tech)
No. 20 -- Silvia Chinellato/Emma Shelton (South Carolina)
No. 29 -- Mia Horvit/Megan Davies (South Carolina)
No. 34 -- Chloe Beck/Kelly Chen (Duke)

Wolverine Bites

• Michigan is looking for its 11th berth in the last 12 seasons to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. U-M made the event last season after knocking off Ole Miss and UCF at the Varsity Tennis Center.

• The ITA Kick-Off weekend is pared down this year, taking place at just seven schools as opposed to 15 like in previous years. The ITA National Team Indoor Championship will feature just eight schools this year, the seven who go 2-0 this weekend and host Oklahoma State. The national event is set for Feb. 5-7 at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

• Michigan is playing at Georgia Tech for the first time in program history.

• The Maize and Blue enters the dual-match portion of the season ranked No. 22 by the ITA. Michigan is one of two Big Ten schools to appear in the top 25, with Ohio State starting the season at No. 13.

• This weekend will mark the first dual-match competition for the Maize and Blue since March 7, 2020.

• Michigan competed last weekend (Jan. 16-18) for the first time during the 2020-21 academic year, hosting the Michigan Invitational. Freshmen Kari Miller, Merri Kelly and Gala Mesochoritou each compiled a 3-0 singles mark, with senior Bella Lorenzini and sophomore Nicole Hammond each going 2-0. On the doubles court, graduate student Chiara Lommer and freshman Jaedan Brown combined for a 3-0 record.

• The Wolverines welcome a quartet of freshmen to this year's team in Jaedan Brown, Merri Kelly, Gala Mesochoritou and Kari Miller. The group was the No. 6-ranked recruiting class in the country, with Miller (No. 3) and Brown (No. 5) ranked as top-five recruits.

• Graduate student Chiara Lommer returned for a fifth year after the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility for student-athletes after last season was cut short. After a pair of wins last weekend, Lommer is up to 92 for her career, ranking 13th in school history. She earned All-Big Ten honors in 2018 and is pursuing a master of management in the Ross School of Business.

• Michigan enters the season with a pair of ranked singles players in No. 71 Andrea Cerdan, who earned All-Big Ten honors last year, and No. 101 Alyvia Jones.